Monthly open mike storytelling competition sponsored by The Moth, the NYC-based nonprofit storytelling organization that also produces a weekly public radio show. Each month 10 storytellers are selected at random from among those who sign up to tell a 3-5 minute story on the monthly theme. The 3 judges are recruited from the audience. Monthly winners compete in a semiannual Grand Slam. Space limited, so it’s smart to arrive early.
Note: Beginning in August, the Storyslam is held twice a month, on the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays.
7:30-9 p.m. (doors open and sign-up begins at 6 p.m.), The Circus, 210 S. First. $10. 764-5118.
Started in 2003, the Kerrytown BookFest is an event celebrating those who create books and those who read them. The primary goal is to highlight the area’s rich heritage in the book and printing arts while showcasing local and regional individuals, businesses, and organizations. Since 2003 we have been growing, sharing, and discovering more and more about the rich book culture in our region.
The BookFest features authors, storytellers, publishers bookbinders, book artists, book illustrators, poets, letterpress printers, wood engravers, calligraphers, papermakers, librarians, teachers, publishers, new, used, and antiquarian booksellers and many others associated with books and their diverse forms, structure, and content.
More information at kerrytownbookfest.org
This year’s theme is “Travels with Books”.
A special feature this year is our third annual Writer in Residence, R.J. Fox. This teacher and author will critique manuscripts submitted ahead of time the day of the festival. Contact Hart Johnson, hartjohnson23@gmail.com, to reserve a slot.
Main Tent
10:30 – 11 a.m. 9th Annual Community Book Award Presentation to Washtenaw Literacy. Director Amy Goodman will accept the award, presented by board member Dallas Moore. Free coffee and donuts will be served in the Main Tent to help celebrate Washtenaw Literacy and kick off the day.
11:00 a.m.- Noon Under the Radar Michigan’s Tom Daldin talks about Michigan’s undiscovered gems.
12:15 – 1:15 p.m. The Quest for Identity Writers Desiree Cooper (Know the Mother), Kelly Fordon (Garden of the Blind), and Andrew Mozina (Contrary Motion) discuss their work with moderator and author Donald Lystra(Something That Feels Like Truth).
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. A Mysterious Sense of Place Mystery writers William Kent Krueger (Manitou Canyon), Hank Phillippi Ryan (What You See) andPatricia Abbott (Shot in Detroit) discuss the sense of place in their novels with author and moderator Carrie Smith (Silent City).
2:45 – 3:45 p.m. Travel through Time with author B.A. Shapiro, who discusses her novels The Art Forger and The Muralist with art historianEllen Longsworth.
4 p.m. Travel North with John Smolens as he discusses his writing and his latest novel Wolf’s Mouth with writer and moderator Benjamin Busch (Dust to Dust).
Kerrytown Concert House
11:00 a.m. – Noon Writing for Hire Join writers Casey Daniels (Irish Stewed) and Vicky Delany (Reading up a Storm), as they discuss the many ways to make a living writing. Both of them have written books “for hire” from TV adaptations to cozy mysteries to flashcards to Goosebumpsinstallments. They’ll discuss the state of publishing today with writer and moderator Barbara Gregorich (Guide to Writing the Mystery Novel: Lots of Examples, Plus Dead Bodies).
12:15 – 1:15 p.m. Stride’s Duluth Thriller writer Brian Freeman illustrates with photos taken on photo safari in Duluth, Minnesota, how he uses the setting to inform his Jonathan Stride novels. He’ll read a passage from one of them to show how his setting influences his writing.
1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Eating Wildly with Ava Chin, who discusses her book on urban foraging with bookseller and moderator Rachel Pastiva, the manager of Crazy Wisdom.
2:45 – 3:45 p.m. Travel the Lakes with Loreen Niewenhuis, who has walked around the entire Great Lakes. She’ll be interviewed by authorMaureen Dunphy (Great Lakes Island Escapes).
4 p.m. The ABCs of Washtenaw Literacy, an informative tour of the agency’s highly effective programs including a video and a presentation from learners.
Children’s Tent
11-11:45 a.m. the beloved Mother Goose shares nursery rhymes with the littlest BookFest visitors
11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. Shanda Trent reads her new book Giddy-Up, Buckaroos
12:15 – 1 p.m. Writer Kristen Remenar and illustrator Matt Faulkner read their latest collaboration Groundhog’s Dilemma
1 – 1:45 p.m. author Kelly DiPuccio shares How to Potty Train Your Dragon
2 – 3;30 p.m. Storytellers Laura Pershin Raynor and Kayla Coughlinentertain listeners of all ages & share a craft.
3:30 – 5 p.m. writer & illustrator Ruth McNally Barshaw (Ellie McDoodle)leads a drawing workshop – “How to make a Lion from a 5″
Writer in Residence R.J. Fox, ongoing through the day. Mr. Fox will critique the first twenty pages of your manuscript. For information and to reserve a slot, contact Hart Johnson at hartjohnson23@gmail.com.
The Edible Book Contest is open to anyone; entries can be dropped off beginning at 9:30 a.m. the day of the bookfest. More details to come.
Random House, Penguin, Macmillan, and Harper Collins publishing house representatives discuss their best new titles from late summer and upcoming releases.
Monthly open mike storytelling competition sponsored by The Moth, the NYC-based nonprofit storytelling organization that also produces a weekly public radio show. Each month 10 storytellers are selected at random from among those who sign up to tell a 3-5 minute story on the monthly theme. The 3 judges are recruited from the audience. Monthly winners compete in a semiannual Grand Slam. Space limited, so it’s smart to arrive early.
Note: Beginning in August, the Storyslam is held twice a month, on the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays.
7:30-9 p.m. (doors open and sign-up begins at 6 p.m.), The Circus, 210 S. First. $10. 764-5118.
The Hopwood Awards Program celebates summer awardees with a reception at 3:15 and awards at 4:10. Three RC students won summer awards:
Monthly open mike storytelling competition sponsored by The Moth, the NYC-based nonprofit storytelling organization that also produces a weekly public radio show. Each month 10 storytellers are selected at random from among those who sign up to tell a 3-5 minute story on the monthly theme. The 3 judges are recruited from the audience. Monthly winners compete in a semiannual Grand Slam. Space limited, so it’s smart to arrive early.
Note: Beginning in August, the Storyslam is held twice a month, on the 1st & 3rd Tuesdays.
7:30-9 p.m. (doors open and sign-up begins at 6 p.m.), The Circus, 210 S. First. $10. 764-5118.
Literati is thrilled to welcome our friends at harlequin creature back to the store for the launch of their latest, greatest issues.
About the journal: 2016 marks five years of harlequin creature, and to celebrate, we’re launching a special double issue. please join us for the launch of issues 8/9 with an evening of readings. issue 8, “not a metaphor,” was curated by a group of guest editors from across the country, including JP Howard & Casey Rocheteau (poetry), Ginger Buswell (prose), & Alisha Wessler (art). it includes the poetry of Tara Betts, Destiny O. Birdsong, Amber Flame, Micaela Foley, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Amanda Johnston, Stacey Knecht, and Pamela L. Laskin, prose by Emily Hunt and Meg Whiteford, and art by Matt Neff. cover design by Kayla Romberger. issue 9, “sitting between chairs,” is dedicated to translation and was shaped by guest editors Kristin Dickinson, Emily Goedde, and Anne Posten, and features translations from a wide range of languages, including serbian, welsh, portugese, ukrainian and hungarian.
Oct. 7 & 8. RC students direct and perform this popular semiannual 90-minute program of short scenes on a variety of topics and in a variety of styles, many written by RC students.
Oct. 7 & 8. RC students direct and perform this popular semiannual 90-minute program of short scenes on a variety of topics and in a variety of styles, many written by RC students.
Brutally Honest Storytelling Open Mic is a live storytelling event where the audience is free to be real as they want to be. No experience necessary. New storytellers or experienced storytellers – everyone has stories. OR just come to listen, that’s okay too!
Stories have a 5 minute time limits. Notes are okay!
Hosted by Shannon Cason (The Moth, Snap Judgment, RISK!, WBEZ’s Homemade Stories). Shannon is a host, MainStage storyteller and GrandSlam champion with The Moth. He is a regular on RISK! and NPR’s Snap Judgment. Shannon also hosts his own storytelling podcast with WBEZ Chicago called Shannon Cason’s Homemade Stories. He is a husband, father, and from Detroit.
The Blind Pig, 208 N. First St. Ann Arbor, MI 48104. $7 (age 20 & under, $10). patriciarwheeler@gmail.com http://www.shannoncason.com/
